Black Canyon traffic

PacifiCorp is asking for confirmation of of their observed number of boaters in Black Canyon of the Bear last weekend. They counted 0 on Saturday and four on Sunday...can anyone validate, did they miss anyone? They will not say what the releases really cost, but some back of the envelope calculations suggest the cost was ~$5-10,000 per boat last weekend. Too bad everything else around here is running at the same time as the Bear.



Charlie Vincent

American Whitewater

801-243-4892

charliev@xmission.com

Has there been any discussion with PacifiCorp about having a later boating season? It seems like having several consecutive weekend releases (including Easter) during the peak of the Wasatch front's short season is a recipe for low turnout. If PacifiCorp is interested in seeing that the releases are well attended, then it seems to me that the previous model of having some late season scheduled releases would be the best. If they are interested in demonstrating a high cost per boater so they can argue for an end to the releases, then this year's model would have the best chance of accomplishing that.

That said, I had an amazing time on the Black Canyon the Saturday before Easter. I hope that we can keep these releases. For any class IV boaters that haven't been on the Black Canyon, get up there!

I am not familiar with how they are figuring the "cost" of a release, but the water now does not have the same value as water delivered to customers during the summer. Water held in reservoirs now can potentially contribute to flooding over the next month.
The Ogden dam operators normally hold on to water like its gold, with no consideration for rec releases (with the notable exception of the M2M fall race release); but right now they are dumping water at as high a flow as the riverbed can hold without significant flooding.
It is too bad that the Bear is running (if that reduces chances of later releases) when the Weber, Ogden, Provo, Price, (and Murtaugh, Boise area, etc, etc) are also at good levels.

The timing of the frequent releases this early in the season begs for poor turnout. I'm sure the strong majority of us would gladly do a 2 for 1 swap for some of these early releases for more summer releases. Any feel if PacifiCorp would have any interest in something like this?

There was no advertising of the releases this year. First I heard there were going to be zero releases this year, then I see pictures of it being run. Looked like at least 8 people or so in the one group in the pictures. When it was properly advertised there were boaters from all over, Jackson, UT, Boise, all places that are a 3 hour drive. I also agree that fall releases make a lot more sense from a use perspective, but not sure if they have the water then.

There will not be a release in Black Canyon this weekend. The PaciifiCorp water forecaster is on the fence as to whether there will be the required 700 cfs (last week they forecast yes and scheduled the releases, but it wasn't really high enough on Sat/Sun morning). Since so many other rivers are running and the PacifiCorp operators have not had a day off in a month we decided to skip this weekend. Current snowpack forecast looks like continued releases for several more weeks following this weekend...not for sure till the final call on the next few Thursdays.

Charlie Vincent
American Whitewater

any word on whether we can trade the spring releases for summer/fall ones?

Thanks Charlie!